City of Savannah, GA
09/30/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/30/2024 12:08
Hurricane Helene News Release #9
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______________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 30, 2024
CONTACT:
Office of Communications
Hurricane Helene News Release #9
Debris removal process begins; Comfort centers/splashpads to open
SAVANNAH - The City of Savannah continues to respond to impacts from Hurricane Helene. City offices and facilities remained closed on Monday, Sept. 30 for non-essential personnel. All essential services are responding at full capacity.
Sanitation and Debris Collection
Due to the high volume of food spoilage from prolonged wide-spread power outages, the City's Sanitation Department have suspended all recycling services until further notice starting on Monday, Sept. 30. Recycling carts can be used for garbage overflow and left with garbage carts curbside at the normal point-of-collection to be picked up on collection routes this week.
Residential refuse collection will proceed as normal. Residents are encouraged to hold recyclables until regular collections resume or use single stream drop-off facilities.
The City has secured a contractor for debris removal operations which will begin this week. Due to the large volume of debris, removal operations are expected to continue for several weeks until completed.
Residents should place containerized (bagged) storm debris at the regular point-of-collection without blocking the roadway or storm drains. Large limbs should be placed separately off the street. Limit yard waste materials to containerized items, bags or refuse carts. Larger vegetative debris will be collected separately.
Residents are asked to not place debris near trees, poles, or other structures that may hinder removal. All storm debris must be separated by type: household garbage, containerized yard waste, larger vegetative debris, bulk items, etc.
Collection of large vegetative debris will begin later this week and continue until completed. Debris removal operations will complete a first pass city-wide before further operations continue.
All household garbage/trash should be containerized within City issued residential refuse carts. Residents who wish to dispose of debris themselves may bring it to the convenience stations at Dean Forest Road Landfill or Bacon Park Convenience Center which are operating on the regular schedule.
Facilities Open as Comfort/Charging Centers
The City will open the Tompkins Regional Center (2333 Ogeechee Rd.) and the Grant Center Gymnasium (123 West St.) on Monday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. as a temporary comfort/charging center for residents. More centers are expected to open on Monday.
The Daffin Park Pool will also be open from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday. City staff is working to have all splashpads operational by noon on Monday with the exception of the Forsyth Park splashpad. City splashpads will also be operational on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
City splashpads to open: Hudson Hill (2227 Hudson St.); Hull Park (55th and Atlantic Ave.); Crusader Park (81 Coffee Bluff Villa Rd.); Forrest Hills (Skidaway and Berkshire Rd.); Avondale Park (Texas and Ohio Ave.); Victory Heights Park (E 42nd St and Taskin Ave.); Savannah Gardens
(516 Pennsylvania Ave.)
Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) will open the following locations as charging/cooling centers on Sunday: The Empowerment Center (4704 Augusta Road) 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Compassion Christian Church (50 Al Henderson Blvd.) 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.; Mighty 8th Air Museum (175 Bourne Ave.) 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.; Life Bridge Ministry (8511 Waters Ave.) 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.; Kingdom Life Christian Fellowship (425 W. Montgomery Cross Rd.) 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.; Thunderbolt Fire (2702 Mechanics Ave.) 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.; Tybee Island YMCA (204 Fifth St.) 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Georgia Power Outage Update
As of 7 a.m. this morning, there are an estimated 63,414 power outages remaining affecting 40% of the community. Georgia Power released estimated restoration times on Saturday. Residents are encouraged to consult outagemap.georgiapower.com for more information.
The City is partnering with Georgia Power to assist in sharing information about power restoration. Georgia Power is our public utility power supplier. The City has no direct responsibility for power restoration.
Traffic Signals Update
Monday morning assessments noted an estimated 80 roads remain impacted in the City due to downed trees and power lines. While some traffic signals have been restored, 53 of the 280 City-operated traffic signals are still without power. The City is working with Georgia Power to restore power to the signal cabinets at the remaining intersections. That number does not include County or GDOT operated signals.
Drivers are reminded that all non-operating stoplights should be treated as an all-way stop. When driving, residents are encouraged to exercise extreme caution, be patient, and stay alert.
Service requests can still be submitted to 311 online at savannahga.gov/311request or via the SAV311 mobile app.
Gas Availability Tracker
With many individuals in our community seeking gasoline availability, one resource individuals can refer to is tracker.gasbuddy.com.
Debris Cleanup Assistance
Residents looking for cleanup assistance can call 1-844-965-1386 or register at www.crisiscleanup.org.
City Water/Sewer Operations Normal
As a reminder, if you receive a water bill from the City of Savannah or your property is located within the City limits and your landlord receives a City water bill then you are not subject to boil water advisory at this time. The City will notify customers if a change in the status occurs.
The boil water advisory issued on Monday only applies to the specific water systems managed by Water Utility Management. For updates and impact information, find Water Utility Management on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/@WaterUtilityMgt
The City's Water Resources Department reports no major issues with the City's drinking water supply system. The sewage system continues to operate under a mix of generator power and grid power. No major issues have been reported.
For updates specific to the City of Savannah, residents are encouraged to follow @cityofsavannah on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and visit savannahga.gov/stormhelene.
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